Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-06
THE SPEAKER OPPOSES TT.

this Dill. 1nlS clly, III HIS yuuBIneu.,
had all the courts # needed. 1t had q
Police Court for minor offenders, Hus-
tings Court for criminal cases, a com
mon.law court for common-law cases,
and a court of chancery for equity
cases alone. Before we give to a city
Of 50, OO0 people fifth court we should
pause and consider. So long rs the
Judge of his circuit had to do the i'm
mense business brought before him
on the pittance of 81, 800 per
year he would never vote to in-
crease the judges of Richmond
with large salaries. The circuit judges
have to travel over rugged roads in all
kinds of weather, and he absent nom
their families weeks and months. The
city Judges are always at home except
when absent for pleasure. He re-
iterated his regret at having to oppose
this bill. Let the rich and prosperous
city Of Richmond assume the burden.
One county circuit judge has just re-
signed his position because the salary
was lot sufficient for his support.
WHAT RICHMOND DOES.
Mr.. Dunlop, of Richmond city, called
the Speakers attention to the fact that
Richmond pays her Police-Court and
Hastings Court judges al their salaries
and largely supplements the salaries OF
the circuit and chancery judges.
Mr.. BUCHANAN SAYS A GOOD WORD.
Mr.. Buchanan said that to re-
ject this bill was to deny Rich
mond what she needs. In Rich
mond you have cases of an i'm
mense magnitude, which you do not
have in the country cases where the
papers ill bushel-basket. In sic,
number, and the character Of the liti-
CATION, the Richmond courts so far be
yond all the country circuits. This bill
is opposed 10y one clerk. Is that one
clerks evidence to override the evil
dence of two chancellors and al
most the entire bar? Richmond
being commercial centre the amounts
involved and the intricate nature Of
the causes are beyond comparison with
the country circuits. The Chancery
Court OF Richmond transacts all the
equity business of the city-has exclu-
sive Jurisdiction of the probate OF wills
The present chancellor, the EXCHANGED
lor, and nine tenths of the chancery
lawyers of Richmond demand this
court, and they ought to have it.
JUDGE wELLFoRD.
Mr.. Dunlop said that it would be i'm
possible for Judge Wexford to assist
the Chancery Court, for now on his
docket there are 400 chancery causes.
Mr.. Buchanan, resuming, referred &c
the fact that the average fees paid in
the State by the Chancery Court OF
Richmond were more than $1,000 per
year-a larger sum than the total sala-
ries paid the circuit and chancery
Judges and the amount to be paid to the
new court. Richmond people pay this
money, and in addition pay more than
one seventh of the revenues OF the
State, and fairness and justice require
that we should give the city the new
court which she asks.
Mr.. MUNFORD HELPS.
Mr.. Munford, of Pittsylvania, said
that his committee Courts of Justice)
had been hearing for weeks the strong
arguments of Richmond's citizens ask
ing for this court. COmmon-sense re-
quires that We should give it to them.
No one can complain of Richmond and
the salaries Of her judges. She not
only pays the salaries in full of all her
criminal courts, but adds to the salary
of the Circuit Court, which is the Cir.
cult Court for the whole State, having
exclusive jurisdiction in all cases where
the Commonwealth is a party, in order
to have a Judge of ability who could
afford to live i'll Richmond.
WE ARE TOO POOR.
Mr.. Downing, Of Warren, said he
would do nothing that would hurt
Richmond. He had strong inclina-
ton to vote for the bill, but when daily
he was talking to the representatives OF
the bondholders, trying to prove to
them that the State could only pay a
certain amount of money, he could not
add to the expenses of this poor old
State. He was convinced that part OF
the work of the chancery Judge could
be transacted by the Judge of the Cir
cult Court. Divide the business be-
tween the two, and no objection has
been urged against it but the inconve-
nience which might arise in the search
for the records Of case.
RICHMOND CIRCUIT COURT.
Mr.. Dunlop, of Richmond city, said
that the judge of the Circuit Court did
not have the spare time at his disposal
which some members imagine. To
transfer cases from the Broadstreet
court to the Main-street court would
not give the relief sought He was
here to ask justice for his city-help
for those who without this court may
be helpless.
MIR. Echols called the pending ques-
ton, which was to reconsider the vote
by which the House refused to order
the bill to its engrossment.
Mr.. Fulkerson, of Lee, offered an
amendment providing that the new
Judge shall be paid like the chancery
Judge, and if the revenue in the court
does not equal the salary the city must
make up the deficiency.
Speaker Stuart, of Alexandra (Mr.
Cardwell in the chair), said that it would
be outrageous to pay two judges 81, 300
each to divide work, while the circuit
Judges are only paid $1,000.
The House refused to order the bill
to its engrossment by the following
vote:
AYRs.-MessTs. Bohannsn. Bolen, Brown, Blu
chanAn. Cardwell, Carter Chalmers, Dabney
Darst. Dunlop. Echols, Hoge. Huffman. John
son. William 1. Jordan. Loving, Miller, Nun
ford. Nance Noblin, 0Bannon. Payne, Peters
Powell, Saunders, Schoolheld, Starke. Tals
ferro, Terry, Tillar, Van Doran, Wescott, aud
Nilkins-33
KOEs.-Messrs. Acker, Addington, Bandy
Barbour. Boiling. Burks. Childress, Cornett
Dickenson. Downing, fentress, Figgat, GIlls
Goad. Harris, Hay, Holiday, Hurt, Hylton
Jones, c. r. Jordan, w. II. Jordan. Lawson
Leftwich, Lightner, McClintc, Martin, Ma
thews. Mauck, Mayo, Moss, Reid, Rice, Roberts
sebren, Tavenner, Thorne, Turner, Webb
Wise, and Mr.. Speaker-fi.
This kills the bill.
THE STATUS.
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